Dogs killed same day they arrive at shelter

Family ‘devastated'

ANDERSON, SC - The Bannisters lost two members of their family last week when, they say, their dogs were euthanized at the Anderson County Animal Shelter.

Elizabeth Bannister, who lives on Pine Lane in Anderson, said her dogs, Daisy, one and a half years old, and Luke, 10 weeks old, were fine when she left for work about 9 a.m. Thursday. She left Daisy, who was a lab-chow mix, and Luke, who was a black lab puppy, in her fenced-in yard. Ms. Bannister said they both had collars with rabies tags on them.

"While I was at work, they got out of the fence," she said. "It was the first time it's ever happened."

When she arrived home about 8:15 p.m., she found a card on her door from an Anderson Police Department officer.

"I called immediately when I walked in the door and I got a receptionist and she said to call back at 8:30 in the morning, and I did," she said.

Ms. Bannister spoke to a police officer about 9 a.m. Friday and was told officers tried to put the dogs back in the fenced area, but there was a hole under the fence they were escaping out of.

"He told me I just needed to call the pound and find out what to do next," she said. "I called the pound and they said they got a lot of animals in and I needed to go there."

When Ms. Bannister arrived at the shelter about 11:30 a.m. Friday, her dogs were dead, she said.

Victor Carpenter, director of Anderson County Environmental Services, said the shelter's policy is that any animal brought in as a stray or as lost is to be kept a minimum of seven days. He said state law requires five days.

But there's no hold placed on animals that are turned in by their owners, Mr. Carpenter said. He said the form with Ms. Bannister's dogs indicated they were an owner turn-in. However, a copy of the form obtained by the Anderson Independent-Mail from Ms. Bannister does not indicate an owner turn-in. Instead, the form authorizes police officers to take the animals — and is signed by a neighbor.

Mr. Carpenter said he couldn't comment on what took place once the dogs reached the shelter.

"If an officer brings in an animal and says ‘owner turn in' then we don't question it," he said. "We have no knowledge of the situation — what led up to that I don't know."

The health of animals is also taken into consideration when they are brought in, Mr. Carpenter said.

Linda Dudley, spokeswoman for the Anderson Police Department, said the department has received numerous calls of dogs running at large, regarding the residence.

"Last Thursday, we received a call from a complainant … and the officers responded," she said. "They put the dogs back into the fence at that time. Then they had another call … of the dogs running at large. At that time they decided to transport to the animal shelter."

Ms. Dudley said the animals weren't in the best health conditions when they were taken to the shelter.

But Ms. Bannister and another neighbor, Melody Bevill, said the dogs were fine. Ms. Bevill said Luke had a few patches around his eyes, but the condition didn't seem bad.

"I just cannot believe they were put to sleep before 8:30 the next morning — no matter what condition they were in," she said. "They looked healthy to me."

Ms. Bannister said she is devastated over the loss. She said they'd only had Luke about 10 days. He was a Christmas present for her son, Landon, who is almost 2 years old.

"They're like kids to me," she said of the dog and the puppy. "There's nothing anybody could do to replace them. I just want to know what went wrong, when and why."